The New Year's holiday passed quickly, and soon everyone plunged back into their former routines. After the break, Wang Qingchen specially took Wang Qingtong to the Huo Family Firm to discuss sourcing goods with Manager Hong.

Manager Hong was initially puzzled why Wang Qingchen would approach him at this time. Upon learning Wang Qingchen's purpose, he looked at Wang Qingtong with surprise; he hadn't expected such a young child to be looking to open a shop. Then Manager Hong glanced at Wang Qingchen, wondering if children nowadays were all this formidable.

Manager Hong reasoned that since Wang Qingchen had brought the boy, things should be reliable enough. Although he didn't make things difficult, he couldn't help but question Wang Qingtong about the specifics of running a shop, as he felt uneasy about such a young child managing one.

Fortunately, even though textbooks gave Wang Qingtong headaches, he knew a great deal about things that genuinely interested him. He could articulate the reasoning behind everything Manager Hong asked regarding the shop's operations.

Satisfied, Manager Hong agreed to supply Wang Qingtong, then detailed the firm's procurement standards—such as minimum order quantities, potential discounts for larger volumes, and payment schedules. Since the details were extensive, Manager Hong covered the main points and directed one of his clerks to explain the rest thoroughly.

Wang Qingtong secured this supply channel and was overjoyed. After finalizing matters with Manager Hong, he quickly sought out the clerk Manager Hong had mentioned to inquire about the specific requirements for sourcing from the Huo Family Firm. This made Wang Qingchen shake his head. If only Wang Qingtong showed the same enthusiasm for studying, his elder uncle and aunt would be thrilled!

The clerk, having learned that Wang Qingtong was the one looking to source goods, was quite shocked. How old was this child? He seemed much younger than the clerk himself, yet here he was, about to open a business while the clerk was still an employee—a clear disparity!

Following Manager Hong's instructions, the clerk painstakingly explained all the requirements. Wang Qingtong listened intently and soon had most of it memorized.

Once Wang Qingtong had absorbed the information, the two left the Huo Family Firm and began walking back.

Knowing that opening a shop required a physical location, Wang Qingchen brought up the subject.

"You mean the storefront? I’ve already secured one," Wang Qingtong replied. "It’s just across the street from your mill. I checked with the landlord; it’s six taels of silver and five hundred cash for a year’s rent. I settled it with the owner; I can take possession after the Lantern Festival. I’ll open my general store there then."

"If you’re opening a shop, you’ll need to hire staff too. Have you found anyone?" Wang Qingchen asked.

Wang Qingtong looked a little embarrassed. "Not yet, actually. I’ve been focused on securing the inventory; I haven't looked for a clerk."

"Then you need to be diligent about finding the right person. Remember, some people might take advantage of your youth, try to fob you off, or even disrespect you and covet what’s in the shop. You must pay close attention to this aspect," Wang Qingchen advised.

Wang Qingtong nodded. "I understand. I plan to find someone I know and trust."

Seeing that Wang Qingtong had a plan, Wang Qingchen didn't press the matter further.

With both inventory sources and a shop secured, the opening date was approaching fast. To ensure Wang Qingtong’s shop launched smoothly, the Old Master, true to his word, not only contributed his own burial savings but also mobilized the Old Mistress and the couple Wang Youliang to support Wang Qingtong. Ultimately, the family couldn't dissuade the Old Master, and a total of forty taels of silver was raised for Wang Qingtong.

Wang Qingtong was deeply grateful that his family could pool such a substantial sum. It was an unknown venture, and they provided him with this much money despite the risk of it being lost. This support instilled in Wang Qingtong a profound dedication to his shop in the years that followed, driven by the fear of any misstep that might squander that investment.

As for the clerk, Wang Qingtong pondered and eventually decided to hire someone from the village.

During the initial preparations for Wang Qingtong’s shop, Wang Qingshan and Wang Qingyun also pitched in to help, and even the Old Master visited a couple of times. Wang Qinghua also lent a hand, frequently offering suggestions. Wang Qingtong was sensible enough to value Wang Qinghua’s advice highly, recognizing it as firsthand experience. Later, Wang Qinghua even shared problems he encountered when setting up his own shop, even offering the solutions he had later figured out, which greatly facilitated Wang Qingtong’s efforts.

The greater Wang Qingtong’s expectation for his shop, the greater his current drive. After frantically finishing the shop renovations, Wang Qingtong quickly made another trip to the Huo Family Firm and his other suppliers to bring back a batch of goods. After arranging the shop’s display, he asked the family to help select an auspicious day, and the grand opening was set.

Even after opening, Wang Qingtong didn't delegate the bulk of the work to the clerk; he handled a significant portion himself. Wang Qingtong’s hard work paid off: his general store did excellent business, allowing him a measure of relief. If he could maintain this momentum, he wouldn't lose money, and eventually, he would be able to repay the silver his family had provided.

Tian Shi recently became a prominent figure in the village. Not only had her husband opened a shop, but now her son had opened one too. Although both shops were rented, word had it their businesses were thriving. Moreover, even without owning the premises yet, making money meant owning property was surely just a matter of time! This fact caused envy among many village women. A diligent husband and an industrious son—wasn't this the aspiration of most farming households?

Tian Shi’s demeanor completely transformed. She was now experiencing a turn of fortune, unlike before when everything seemed to go wrong. Now, she constantly basked in the envious gazes of others, which caused her self-confidence to swell, even leading her to look down slightly on her second son and daughter-in-law.

However, Luo Yin was far from happy. She felt deeply distressed because the family had contributed forty taels of silver to fund Wang Qingtong’s shop. That was no small sum. When Wang Qingshan and He Shi separated earlier, the family hadn't provided nearly that much money. To see such a significant sum deployed to support Wang Qingtong’s venture felt undeniably biased.

Luo Yin’s unhappiness went deeper than just the money. She had been anticipating the day she and Wang Qingyun could formally separate from the main household. Now, even if they did separate, the forty taels would be irrelevant to them, and she was unwilling to accept that outcome.

Yet, despite these thoughts, Luo Yin kept her intentions hidden, unwilling to shatter the image of gentle composure she usually projected.

Over on Wang Qingyun’s side, though he hadn't heard Luo Yin voice her complaints aloud, he certainly had his own thoughts. The elders had made a massive expenditure this time—likely using most of the family’s remaining liquid assets. It was clear the family held Wang Qingtong in high regard, which left Wang Qingyun, also a member of the family, with a sour taste in his mouth. He even wondered if the family would support him with such generosity if he decided to open a shop.

Wang Qingshan, perhaps due to more life experience and the responsibility of supporting his own wife and child since separating, seemed more mature in his outlook. He focused on working diligently to ensure his wife and son would never have to suffer hardship again. Therefore, he didn't dwell much on the family’s full-throated support for Wang Qingtong.

He Shi initially had reservations but eventually reconciled herself to the situation. After all, their branch of the family had already successfully separated, and it would be much harder for the younger brothers to do the same later on. Furthermore, Wang Qingshan now had work, and if they managed it well, they wouldn't lack for necessities. There was no point in dwelling on what they couldn't control; they should use that time to do more embroidery instead.

With that thought, He Shi resumed her needlework, and soon Wang Guifang joined her.

"I heard that Qingtong’s shop is doing very well, seems to have excellent business," Wang Guifang asked tentatively.

"Yes, I heard from Qingshan. Even though the shop just opened, the business is very good. I suppose Grandpa, Grandma, Father, and Mother can rest easy now," He Shi replied.

"Indeed. After all, the family put so much money into it. If the business were poor, the family would be frantic!" Wang Guifang said, looking at He Shi.

He Shi let out a light laugh. "Thankfully, business is good now. The money the family invested should be earned back quickly."

"Aren't you upset? That the family took out so much money to help Qingtong open his shop," Wang Guifang couldn't help but ask.

He Shi sighed upon hearing this. "How could I not be upset? When I first heard, I thought the elders were being far too biased. But then I considered: since we have already separated, those matters don't concern us much anymore. We just need to make our own lives good."

Seeing He Shi’s calm demeanor, Wang Guifang felt reassured. "I only came over because I was worried you might be feeling hurt inside. Now that I see you like this, I feel much better."